An Evaluation of the Launceston Big Picture School: Executive Summary and Report

Launceston Big Picture School was established in January 2016, as a stand-alone Big Picture Education Australia school for Years 9-12. In May 2017, the Peter Underwood Centre was formally commissioned by the Honourable Jeremy Rockliff, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education in the Tasmanian Government, to evaluate the implementation of the Big Picture Education Australia design at Launceston Big Picture School over the period 2017-2020. For three years the research team has worked independently, but in collaboration with Launceston Big Picture School, Department of Education Tasmania and Big Picture Education Australia. The research questions were:

1. Are the 12 distinguishers of Big Picture Education Australia’s design being implemented?
2. How well is the Big Picture model being implemented?
3. Are Launceston Big Picture School students learning in the broadest possible sense?
4. Does students’ learning support them after they leave school and, if so, how?

The evaluation drew upon perspectives from students, parents, school staff, Big Picture Education Australia staff, and local members of the business community about the implementation; and an examination of students’ work, school documentation, policy documents and Department of Education data.